CELEBRATING STAR WARSVIDEO GAMES

by Robert Wery

I have to start this off by saying that I haven’t played every Star Wars game. I haven’t played any of the Lego iterations, I haven’t played Jedi Knight 1 or 2, I’m not old school enough to have dabbled in X-Wing Alliance, nor have I ventured into Dark Forces or Shadows of the Empire. I can say, however, that I have played the crap out of the following games, and that I love them all, so come share in some fun memories and argue which games deserve sequels!

Episode 1: Racer

Arguably the best part of the Star Wars movies, Podracer was a ton of fun on the N64, reenacting the Boonta Eve Classic, hopping into Sebulba’s pod racer on a myriad of tracks. What’s more, it was just re-released for PC on GOG, so go relive one of the most important plot points in Star Wars! Yipee!

Battlefront

Multiplayer, Galactic Conquest, multiple singleplayer and coop campaigns, space battles, Battlefront had it all. The objectives were simple but the match to match mini kill quests kept the game fresh if you wanted a challenge. Recreating the AT-AT takedowns on Hoth, tearing through enemies with an earned Hero, and last but not least, Hero Assault on Mos Eisley. There’s nothing better than flexing the high ground with Obi-Wan on Darth Vader for the second time.

Knights of the Old Republic

Knights of the Old Republic (1 and 2) hold one of the most special places in my heart. Combining the classic fun of an RPG with the ability to be a jedi had me waking up an hour before school started to play before the bus came. The story expanded the universe, the choice made for multiple playthroughs, and YOU COULD BE A FREAKING JEDI. Man, I loved these games, my kingdom for a Kotor 3. I’ve been told The Old Republic has some good story arcs for each class, but it’s just not the same.

Republic Commando

Republic Commando was another amazing example of expanding the Star Wars universe. What made this game so immersive wasn’t necessarily the wide scope of exotic locations, flora and fauna, but how magnified and detailed it was. The badass characters, action-packed levels and intuitive squad mechanics did yet another corner of galaxy justice

Force Unleashed

The Force Unleashed games were less RPG and more action than Kotor, but made BEING A JEDI even more intuitive and visceral. It might’ve shoehorned in an explanation for the rebellion, but like other Star Wars games, you felt powerful and cool, especially as you grew to the end of the game and made distinct choices.

May the 4th be with you!

I haven’t played every Star Wars game, and you may hate me for that, but remember, hate leads to suffering. So instead, let me know which games are worth giving a try on the CORSAIR Facebook and Twitter!